Paranoia, Conspiracies, and Wine
by molldoll18
Summary: Michaelina Howard, better known as Mimi was a fence. A fence is someone thieves used to indirectly sell the stolen items on the black market. Mimi was part a group of fences, almost like a gang. They would train her until she was good enough to go out on her own. As a perk anyone who would ask around for a fence, people would recommend you first, and that was how she met Mozzie.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

A seemingly ordinary girl walked down the street, a girl with short dark brown hair, mischievous brown eyes, and sharp facial features, her name was Mimi. Michaelina Howard, better known as Mimi was a fence. A fence is someone thieves used to indirectly sell the stolen items on the black market. Mimi was part a group of fences, almost like a gang. They would train her until she was good enough to go out on her own. As a perk anyone who would ask around for a fence, people would recommend you first, and that was how she met Mozzie.

"Mimi you ready for your first fence?" Her supervisor asked.

"Definitely!" I replied.

"Good, because this one's paranoid, so follow these instructions _exactly!"_ She told her while handing her a note card.

"You got it boss."

"Good luck."

She smiled back at her in response and headed to the meeting point stated on the card.

"_1. Go to the park on 64 and Avenue." _It wasn't far away and she didn't mind walking. she was nervous, but she couldn't show it, that was one of the first things they taught you. Emotion will kill you if you're not careful, one wrong look and you're out of there. Upon arriving she then read the next step, _"2. Get a newspaper, rip a page out then throw it away in the trash can closest to the water fountain."_ Now, this is where she got confused, see Mimi didn't always live in New York, she moved here for college, dropped out and didn't go home. Home was originally Wisconsin, and in Wisconsin they call water fountains, bubblers, as in a something you drink water out of in a public place like a park. However, she don't know if they knew that or where to throw it away so, she did the best thing I could think of, she ripped out two pages, threw one away near a bubbler and one near a water fountain. Then, read the third step _"3. Wait". _Well, that's not vague at all, but she did as told and waited.

"You didn't take the subway to get here, what New Yorker doesn't take the Subway?" Someone suddenly asked from behind me. She slowly turned around to face a man.

"I didn't take the Subway because I like walking," she responded. Why she didn't ask why he was following her is unknown. She studied the man, short, balding, glasses, and looked kind of like a fashion designer/hipster, but she kept this to herself.

"And why did you rip out two pages of newspaper?" He asked looking skeptical.

"Does is matter?" she asked. She found his antics to be rather unnecessary.

"Yes, it matters! For all I know you could be some top secret government spy." He replied.

"Alright, fair point. But how do I know you are who you say you are. Actually take that back, I have no idea who you are." Mimi replied rather confused about this whole situation. She was seriously considering giving the job to someone else, but to go back to the warehouse and tell them the job was too difficult, would be like suing McDonald's because their hot coffee burned your tongue.

"Henry Montague" He replied stiffly.

"Okay Henry what do you need-" He cut her off before she could finish.

"Shhhhhh! Someone could hear! We can't talk here."

"Then why did you have me come here?" She was most definitely confused.

"I don't have to tell you!" It was official he infuriated her! With his riddles and paranoia Mimi could hardly stand him. Of all the people she could get on her first day she got a paranoid Mad Hatter. Mimi always tried to look on the bright side of things, dropped out of college? She's in New York who cares? Henry? Nope no bright side there, the only thing she could hope for was that this would go by quick.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Mimi was now following Henry, a person she didn't even know, down the streets of New York. As always the streets were crowded with students, bums, businessmen, and tourists. Mimi remember when she first moved here and couldn't believe all the different types of people that came here.

"Where are we going anyway?" She asked, the question had been burning in her mind since he had told her it was not safe to talk in the park. He didn't tell her anything at all really, just started walking away, then snapped at her when she didn't follow.

"I told you it's not safe to talk here, too many people could over hear." Rather than argue with him she kept quiet and followed. She never did like to follow people, too afraid they would walk her into a wall, especially since she didn't know where they were headed. Eventually after a long, awkward silence, Henry stopped in front of a house, well more like a small mansion. She followed him into the house, not long after entering a woman met them at the door. She had curly, short, brown hair, warm brown eyes, and looked happy to see them. At least someone was, Mimi felt a little unappreciated around Mozzie.

"Oh, Mozzie who is this? She's lovely!" The woman said with inviting smile.

"Henry, June, my name is Henry." Henry/Mozzie stated tiredly.

"Hello, I'm Michaelina, but please call me Mimi." Mimi told the woman, presumably June, deciding to ignore the fact that Henry probably gave her his fake name.

"Nice to meet you, I'm June welcome to my home,"

"This is yours? It's beautiful!" Mimi complemented, compliments can get you a long way, and the house was really spectacular, it looked as if a celebrity lived there.

"Okay if you're done socializing we need to get to work, now" Mozzie/Henry said annoyed. He turned and headed up the stairs without looking to see if Mimi was following.

"Bye June," she said before following Henry/Mozzie up the stairs.

The house really was beautiful, it had a timeless look,with it's winding staircase and big windows. You could only imagine a famous or very rich person living here, you know like a good thief? Henry/Mozzie eventually led Mimi to a door at the top of the stairs.

"Don't even think about stealing anything, everything is tapped," Henry/Mozzie warned.

"I'm a fence for a reason," Mimi muttered, Mimi was a terrible thief, she had clumblsy hands when it came down to things like that. After entering the room it became clear there was someone else with them; Henry/Mozzie didn't seem concerned, for once and continued inside.

"Hey Moz, where've you been?" A man who could only be described as very handsome with his shiny dark hair, mischievous blue/green eyes, and sneaky smirk.

"Oh, who's this? A girlfriend?" The stranger teased. Henry/Mozzie looked offended and stalked off.

"So, his name's Mozzie?" Mimi asked not wanting to endure another awkward silence.

"Not really sure, but I'm Neal, what's your name beautiful?" Oh, he was charming, and Mimi blushed, before responding.

"Michaelina, but I prefer Mimi," she answered. Mozzie then chose that moment to return, bottle of wine in hand.

"Alright, now about the fence, it's rather special-" Neal started.

"And dangerous," Mozzie interjected.

"MOZ!" Neal exclaimed, looking pointedly at Mimi.

Mimi thought to herself she was probably the worst fence in the state. No, the world, because who in their right mind would follow a complete stranger around New York? Mimi that's who. Mimi studied the two men, even more paranoid than Mozzie, and wondered what she could have possibly gotten herself into.


End file.
